Independent Standard-Setting Boards

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board sets high-quality international standards for auditing, assurance, and quality control that strengthen public confidence in the global profession.

The International Accounting Education Standards Board establishes standards, in the area of professional accounting education, that prescribe technical competence and professional skills, values, ethics, and attitudes.

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board develops standards, guidance, and resources for use by public sector entities around the world for preparation of general purpose financial statements.

by Jim Sylph, Executive Director, Professional Standards

Accountancy Regulation in the Mediterranean Region

Good morning. I'm delighted to be returning to your annual conference and speaking to you today at the sixth FCM conference. Thank you to FCM and SOEL for inviting me to be present today. I bring greetings from IFAC President Fermí­n de Valle and Chief Executive Officer Ian Ball.

I'm also delighted to be in Athens, one of the oldest and most fascinating cities in the world. It's quite appropriate that we are focusing on the accountancy profession here in an ancient Mediterranean city, because this region, in addition to serving as the cradle of civilization, is also the cradle of our profession. The great ancient Greek mathematicians -- Pythagoras, Euclid and Archimedes -- laid the foundation for all numeracy and hundreds of years after their deaths, the innovative Italians of the Renaissance formulated the basis for modern accounting.

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